Low cost disposable lighter



Oct. 25, 1966 J. D. SMITH 3,280,596

LOW COST DISPOSABLE LIGHTER Filed April 27, 1964 INVENTOR. 1 7/ 75? 0, SM/TH United States Patent 3,280,596 LOW COST DISPQSABLE LIGHTER James Donald Smith, Stroudsburg, Pa., assignor to Ronson Corporation, Woodbridge, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Apr. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 362,616 8 Claims. (Cl. 677.1)

This invention relates to cigar lighters and more particularly it concerns a construction for a low cost disposable cigar lighter.

Cigar lighters have generally been regarded as relatively high cost non-expendable items in relation to the low cost consumable fuels, flints and wicks which they utilize. For this reason, conventional lighters are pro vided with means not only for replenishing their fuel supply but also for replacing their flints and wicks after certain periods of usage. Modern production techniques and improved lighter design, however, have contributed greatly toward reducing the cost of many of the nonconsumable lighter components. This in turn has helped considerably in increasing the general availability of cigar lighters.

According to one feature of the present invention there is provided a cigar lighter of such simplified and low cost construction that it may economically be discarded after exhaustion of a single charge of fuel. This has been accomplished through the elimination of a number of the higher cost elements of the lighter such as the threaded caps and sealing arrangements which are necessary in conventional lighters for fuel, flint and wick replacement. The elimination of these items, while providing a direct and obvious reduction of cost, even further contributes toward cost reduction by simplifying the fuel tank structure while at the same time increasing its fuel carrying capacity.

According to a further feature of the invention cost reduction is also enhanced through the provision of a thin shelled plastic fuel container which itself serves as the casing or main body portion of the lighter. Such containers may be produced at far lower cost than the conventional metallic fuel containers. Furthermore, they require no high temperature soldering or brazing and yet are more impervious to lighter fluids than are metallic containers.

In a preferred form of the invention the various operative lighter elements such as the sparking Wheel, the flint, the wick and closure cap are mounted in operative relation to each other on a metallic upper wall which further serves to insulate the heat susceptible plastic fuel container from the effects of generated sparks and the lighter flame. This upper wall is attached to the fuel container by means of a pair of metallic tubes which extend from the upper wall down through the top of the plastic casing and are tightly sealed thereto. These tubes serve as struts which keep the top wall securely positioned at a fixed distance above the main body or fuel tank portion of the lighter thus creating an insulating air space between the upper wall and the top of the plastice fuel container serving to protect the fuel container from the heating effects of the lighter in operation.

One of the metallic tubes further serves as a wick carrying element while the other guides a flint element toward the sparking wheel. Thus a compact, yet sturdy construction, is provided at a considerable reduction in cost.

There has thus been outlined rather broadly the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course,

additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject of the claims 3 appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based:

may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures for carrying out the several purposes of the invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions as do not permit from the spirit and scope of the invention.

A specific embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description, and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation showing a lighter according to the present invention with its closure cap opened.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the lighter shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2 when the closure cap is in its closed position.

The preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is seen to comprise a molded plastic body portion 10 having an external size and shape suited for convenient grasping and on the top of which is mounted an operative assembly 12. The plastic body portion 10 is hollow and contains a charge of fuel to be burned by the lighter. It is preferably made of some low cost easily formable material such as nylon which possesses a certain inherent rigidity and which is chemically inert to conventional lighter fluids.

The operative assembly 12 comprises metallic top Wall 14 mounted in a normally horizontal position above the plastic body portion 10. The top Wall 14 supports a closable cap 16, a wind shield 18, a wick element 20 and a sparking wheel 22, all positioned in operative relation to one another. As can be seen most clearly from FIG. 2, the wind shield 18 is made of a single piece of metal and is attached to the top wall 14 by means of a peened lip 24 formed on the upper surface of the top wall. The wind shield 18 itself is bent up in chimney fashion about the wick element and contains louvers 19 along its sides for admitting air to the fuel emanating from the wick element 20. The upper rear portion of the wind shield acts as a support for pivotally mounting the sparking wheel 22 above a flint element 23 which also protrudes through the top wall. A leaf spring element 26 is attached to the top wall along with the wind shield 18 and is shaped to interconnect with the closure cap 16 in a well known arrangement which permits snap open and snap closed operation of the cap.

The construction of the plastic body portion 10 and its manner of attachment to the operative assembly 12 may be seen most clearly in the section view of FIG. 3. As shown in this figure the body portion 10 is essentially a thin walled container of simple configuration which includes no irregularities in wall thickness or shape. Such a container is readily made by use of conventional low cost casting techniques such as the Well known blow molding process. Of course, there are many other sim ilar techniques equally well suited for forming the plastic container or body portion, and these may be substituted for the blow molding process wherever desired. Be cause of the simplicity of configuration and the elimination of such items as filler caps and ribs and related supports, the internal capacity of the plastic container is maximized, thus permitting the use of a greater amount of fuel than has theretofore generally been considered possible in lighters of this nature.

The container or body portion 10 is provided with a pair of openings 28 and 30 in its upper wall through which fuel may be introduced during assembly of the lighter. First and second metal tubes 32 and 34 extend through these openings into the container in assembly and are sealed to the openings by a fluid impervious sealwick holding element and extends between a point near the bottom inside wall of the container to a point above the container where it is attached by means of the peened 'lip 24 to the horizontal top wall 14 of the operative lighter assembly 12. The first or wick holding tube 32 also includes an external flanged collar 38 near the top thereof which operates in the capacity of a spacer to maintain proper separation between the upper wall of the plastic container or body portion and the horizontal top wall 14 of the operative lighter assembly 12. This collar also provides additional surface area for the sealant 36 at the top of the plastic container which serves to ensure a strong mechanical bond as well. as a gas tight seal. The spacing which is provided by the flanged collar 38 between the top of the plastic container or body portion 10 and the upper wall 14 of the operative assembly provides an insulating air layer 39 which serves as a further heat barrier to protect the plastic container 10 as well as the sealant 36 from softening or loss of strength due to the heat of the lighter flame.

The first or wick holding tube 32 contains the wick element in tightly fitting arrangement so that it extends upwardly throughout the length of the tube and projects outwardly therefrom above the upper wall 14. The lower portion of the wick is exposed to the fluid in the container or body portion 10 through a small hole or orifice 40 at the bottom of the wick holding tube 32. Liquid fuel is drawn up through the wick by capillary action and may be ignited at the top of the wick element above the upper wall 14. The small orifice at the bottom of the wick holding tube 32 causes the fluid passing therethrough .to experience a pressure drop from container pressure to nearly atmospheric so that the pressure within the fuel container or body portion 10 will not cause fluid in the wick to spurt up through the wick and thereby cause dangerous leakage. The wick holding tube 32 is also eifective to maintain the bottom of the wick element 20 near the bottom of the container 10' so as to ensure that the wick element will always be in contact with liquid fuel irrespective of the fuel level in the container. This eliminates the need for cotton type packing in the fuel container which in turn permits the con-.

tainer to carry a greater quantity of fuel.

The second metallic tube 34 is similar in external configuration to the first tube 32 and serves in similar manner to support the horizontal upper wall 14 of the operative assembly 12 at a fixed distance above the top of the plastic fuel container or body portion 10. The two metal tubes cooperate to maintain alignment between the operative assembly 12 and the body or fuel containerportion 10 of the lighter. The second metal tube 34 further serves as a flint holding member and is similar in internal structure to conventional flint holding members in that it includes a cylindrical inner bore 42 which contains a spring 44 or similar resilient biasing element as well as the flint 23 which is urged by the spring 44 against the sparking wheel 22. 'Inasmuch as the lighter of the .present invention is to be disposable, it is not necessary that the flint element 23 be changed and therefore it is not necessary that access be had to the flint holding tube 34 either through the body or fuel container 10 or otherwise for the purpose of changing the flint element. Thus the flint holding tube may be sealed within the fuel container 10 and mounted directly under the sparking wheel 22 in a manner which ensures the mechanical rigidity and at the same time provides maximum sealing against fuel leakage.

The upper wall 14 of the operative assembly 12 contains a flanged or underskirted portion 46 which cooperates with the metal tubes 32 and 34 to maintain proper positional relationship between the body portion 10 of the lighter and the operative assembly 12. This skirted portion 46 extends downwardly from the periphery of the upper wall 14 and engages the top of the body portion 10 in flush relationship thereto toprovide a smooth and pleasing external configuration to the lighter.

If desired, the flanged portion 46 may be provided with slots or openings 48 over a portion of its length as shown in FIG. 1. This permits ventilation of the air space between the upper wall of the operative assembly and the plastic body portion of the lighter. The ventilation thus provided is effective to increase the insulating properties of the air space and thus to permit extended use of the lighter without danger to its body portion 10.

It will of course be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the principles of the present invention are applicable to so called wickless lighters or lighters of the type which burn highly volatile fuel such as butane which is maintained under pressure in its liquid form within the fuel tank. In such case the wick holding element 32 is internally constructed to form a burner valve and is provided with a burner nozzle and valve actuating elements as in conventional gas lighters.

Having thus described my invention with particular reference to the' preferred form thereof, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, after understanding my invention, that various I changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined by the claims appended thereto.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A disposable lighter comprising, an operative lighter assembly including a closure cap, a sparking wheel, a flint element and a wick element all mounted in lighter operative relationship on a horizontal flame resistant top I wall, a thin shelled, sealed, molded plasticcontainer having liquefied lighter fluid therein, a pair of metal tubes for holding said flint element and wick element extending in' permanently sealed relationship through the top of said plastic container and terminating in the interior thereof with their exposed surfaces in communication with said fluid, said flame resistant top wall 'being supported on saidtubes at a fixed distance above said container, means associated with one of said metal tubes for; forcing said flint element contained therein outwardly against said sparking wheel, and said wick element extending through the other metal tube between a lower opening in said wick holding tube exposed to said liquefied lighter fuel and an upper opening in said wick holding tube in the vicinity of said sparking wheel and flint element.

2. A disposable lighter comprising, an operative lighter assembly including a closure cap, a sparking wheel, a flint element and a wick element all mounted in lighter operative relationship on a horizontal flame resistant top wall, a thin shelled,,sealed, molded plastic container having liquefied lighter fluid therein, a pair of metal tubes for holding said flint element and wick element extending between points within said plastic container and said flame resistant top wall above said container with the exterior portions of said metal tubes disposed within said container being in communication with said fluid,

ing in said wick holding tube in the vicinity of said sparking wheel and flint element.

3. A disposable lighter comprising, a top wall supporting a fuel passage tube and a flint tube permanently connected to said wall and extending downwardly therefrom, a separate molded plastic container having openings in its top, a supply of lighter fluid contained within said container, said fuel passage tube and said flint tube extending through the openings of said container and terminating therein with their exterior surfaces in communication with said fluid and with the upper ends thereof being permanently sealed at said openings to said container, a flint element disposed within said flint tube and protruding through one end thereof above said top Wall, a sparking wheel supported above said top wall for rotation against said flint element, and fuel flow control means extending through said fuel passage tube and contacting said lighter fluid at one end, the other end of said fuel passage tube extending through said top wall in the vicinity of said sparking wheel and flint element.

4. A disposable lighter comprising a thin shelled, sealed, molded plastic container, a supply of lighter fuel contained within said container, a flint holding tubular member and a wick holding tubular member extending through one end of said container and terminating adjacent the other end thereof with their exterior surfaces in communication with said fuel, a fluid impervious sealant sealing each of said tubular members to the outside surface of the one end of said container, a flame resistant wall supported a fixed distance above said plastic container by means of said tubular members, a flint disposed within said flint holding tubular member and protruding through one end thereof above said Wall, a sparking wheel mounted above said wall in rotative frictional engagement with said flint element, and a wick element extendin through said wick holding tubular member between a lower opening in said wick holding tubular member exposed to said liquid fuel and an upper opening in said wick holding tubular member in the vicinity of said sparking wheel and flint element.

5. The lighter described in claim 4 wherein said wick holding tubular member is essentially closed inside said plastic container except for a small opening near the bottom of the container, said small opening being of a size suificient to pass liquid fuel under a given pressure differential on either side of said opening.

6. A disposable lighter comprising a thin shelled sealed, molded plastic container, 2. supply of lighter fuel contained within said container, a flint holding tubular member and wick holding tubular member extending through one end of said container and terminating adjacent the other end thereof with their exterior surfaces in tainer except for a small opening near the bottom of the container of a size suflicient to pass liquid fuel under a given pressure differential on either side of said opening, a fluid impervious sealant sealing each of said tubular members to the outside surface of the one end of said container, a flame resistant wall supported a fixed distance above said plastic container by means of said tubular members, flanged spacer collars on said tubular mem bers disposed outside of said container for supporting said wall at said fixed distance above the container and sealed to said container by said sealant, a flint disposed within said flint holding tubular member and protruding through one end thereof above said wall, a sparking wheel mounted above said wall in rotative frictional engagement with said flint element, and a wick element extending through said wick holding tubular member between said lower opening in said wick holding tubular member exposed to said liquid fuel and an upper opening in said wick holding tubular member in the vicinity of said sparking wheel and flint element.

7. The lighter as described in claim 6 further comprising a skirt element extending downwardly from the periphery of said flame resistant wall to the top edge of said container flush with the sides thereof.

8. The lighter described in claim 7 wherein said skirt element contains apertures for effecting ventilation of the air space between said container and said upper wall.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,617,286 11/1952 Prusa-ck 67*71 2,618,952 11/1952 Peterson 67- 7.1 2,681,554 6/1954 Peterson 67--7.1 2,692,491 10/ 1954 Hepburn 677.1 2,692,492 10/ 1954 Hepburn 677 .1 3,132,499 5/1964 Rogers -1 67-7.1

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,129,216 9/1956 France.

EDWARD J. MICHAEL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DISPOSABLE LIGHTER COMPRISING, AN OPERATIVE LIGHTER ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A CLOSURE CAP, A SPARKING WHEEL, A FLINT ELEMENT AND A WICK ELEMENT ALL MOUNTED IN LIGHTER OPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP ON A HORIZONTAL FLAME RESISTANT TOP WALL, A THIN SHELLED, SEALED, MOLDED PLASTIC CONTAINER HAVING LIQUEFIED LIGHTER FLUID THEREIN, A PAIR OF METAL TUBES FOR HOLDING SAID FLINT ELEMENT AND WICK ELEMENT EXTENDING IN PERMANENTLY SEALED RELATIONSHIP THROUGH THE TOP OF SAID PLASTIC CONTAINER AND TERMINATING IN THE INTERIOR THEREOF WITH THEIR EXPOSED SURFACES IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID FLUID, SAID FLAME RESISTANT TOP WALL BEING SUPPORTED ON SAID TUBES AT A FIXED DISTANCE ABOVE SAID CONTAINER, MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH ONE OF SAID METAL TUBES FOR FORCING SAID FLINT ELEMENT CONTAINED THEREIN OUTWARDLY AGAINST SAID SPARKING WHEEL, AND SAID WICK ELEMENT EXTENDING THROUGH THE OTHER METAL TUBE EXPOSED TO SAID LIQUEOPENING IN SAID WICK HOLDING TUBE EXPOSED TO SAID LIQUEFIED LIGHTER FUEL AND THE AN UPPER OPENING IN SAID WICK HOLDING TUBE IN THE VICINITY OF SAID SPARKING WHEEL AND FLINT ELEMENT. 